The study compared 150 of the largest U.S. cities across six key dimensions, including financial stability, education, health, safety, and economy, as well as infrastructure and pollution. The study then combined these categories to construct an overall City Services ranking against which the cities' total per-capita budgets were measured to reveal a budgeting efficiency score.

The top five cities were Boise and Nampa, Idaho; Provo, Utah; Missoula, Mont.; and Fort Wayne, Ind.

Other surprises: Casper, Wyo. has the lowest long-term debt per capita, a stingy $700 per person. That is 28 times lower than Atlanta, the city with the highest debt load of $19,902 per resident.

Fredrick, Md., has the highest high-school graduation rate of 93%. Denver has the lowest, at 56%.